Breaking device



Sept. 7, 1943. J. F. M ALONEY BREAKING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1941 .JOSEPH F MALONEY 4- 4 of Fig. 3.

Patented Sept. 7, 1943 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE i 2,328,661 g BREAKING Dav es 7 v Joseph F. Maloney, University City, Mo; i Application March 10, 1e41, Serial No. 382,51

(o1. 2c2 12)'=; i 1

Claims. This invention relates generally to devices for breaking rock, stone, concrete, and similar structures, and more specifically to devices of this type which rely on expansive action to perform their intended functions,, the predominant object of the invention being to-provide an extremely. simple tool of thetype mentioned which is adapted to be introduced into a hole drilled in a structure to be broken with the aid thereof, and which includes laterally movable members arranged to be forced against the wall of the hole by an element having wedge faces, to produce internally initiated, outwardly directed force which effects breaking of the structure being acted upon.

Prior to this invention the explosive action of dynamite was widely used; for the purpose of breaking boulders; orlarge pieces of rock and stone, and large sections of concrete, but due to ,thefact that dynamite cannot be employed for this purpose under certain circumstances'and in certain localities, other means must be employed to perform such breaking operations when the use of dynamite is inadvisable. Themain pur poseof-this invention is to provide such a device for breaking rock, stone, concrete, and the like,

-which is at once of simple and durable construction and is capable of performing its intended function in a highly efficient manner. An important feature of the invention is that the improved device disclosed herein is capable of being actuated with the aid of a pneumatic hammer, or itmay be actuated by blows directed thereagainst with the aid of a sledge or other suitable hand-operated tool. I i

Fig. ,1 is an elevation of the improved device,

parts thereof being broken away and the device being shown in place in a hole drilled in a structure to be broken with the device in the position it assumes at thecommencement of the breaking operation.

Fig. 2 is an toward same from a different angle.

Fig. 3 is a view of the improved device showing same largely invertical section and partially in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection taken on line Fig. 5 is a horizontal 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6 ofFig.3 ..fl I Q; t s In the drawing, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved device generally. j' Ihe device A includes a plug l which elevation ofthe device looking is formed areal Oriana durable amalgam plug I having a solid head portion 2 at its upper jected, extension l which, is, preferably, though not necessarily, of annularformation, I

The plug I below the extension 41s of generally circular shape 'in cross"section, and of substantially constant diameter "from saidtextension to thelowerfend of theplug, with the exception that said plug isfprovided lwith opposed, convergent faces '5 whichextend from, the points designated by the reference character B' to points at its upperend andflares outwardly as it extends section taken on line The upperportions' of the cavities ,as shown in Fig.4, but disposed" downwardlyof "said upper portions of said cavities theopposed adjacent to the lower end of theplug. The faces 5 are of tapered shape when: viewed in elevation a n e said fa jif h wn in Fi --2? h t i to say, each of said. faces 5 is relatively narrow downwardly to agreateriwidthat its] lower end.

'flfhe opposed faces '5 providethe plug with wedge faces which serve a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The plug l has formedtherein a pair of opposed cavities' 'l' which extend inwardly-from thefacesii, said cavities extending downwardly of the plugfrom the points 6 to points adjacent to thelower end of the'plug and the inner wall I of eachof' said cavities being extended in substantialparallelisn'r ith "respect I to the 1 face 5 with which said cavity is associated." v 1 are shaped side walls of each thereof are provided with inwardly extended ribs 8 which are projected downwardlyfromj the'points 8' to the pointsadiacent to the lower end of the plug. The front wallsof the ribs 8 are substantiallyflush with 'thefaces '5 and'the rear faces of said ribs are spaced outwardly from-the inner walls of'the cavitives 1. Also the inner edge faces ofeach pairof'ribs associated with a cavity 'l are spaced apart to provide a" space between said edge faces. The

arrangement of the ribs 8 within the cavities i give" to'the portions of the cavities in which the ribs are disposed a T-shaped formation as shown in Figs. 5 'and 6. At its extreme lower end the plug l is of tapered shape as shown at 9 in Figsul, 2,. and 3, and the inner portions of the-cavities 1 terminate in shoulders l0 which serve asabutments as will berhereinafter explained. v i Associated with the plug l at its upper end is a stem 11 which is provided with a lower portion I 2-that is provided with heavy screwthreads, said stem portion l2 being screwthreadedly disposed within the cavity 3 of the plug. The stem II is drilled therein. The device is then introduced into the hole in the structure S with the slides provided also with an annular flange l3 which contacts with the top face of the plug I and thereby serves to prevent downward force resulting from blows, to which thestem I l is subjected in use of the device from being imparted to the screwthreads of the stem portion l2 and the cavity3.

The device A includes also a pair of slides M which are associated in opposed relation with the. The slides I 4 are plug l at the faces 5 thereof. provided with outer faces which are substantially straight in a. vertical direction and which are curved horizontally in substantial accordance with the horizontal curvature of-the upper portion of the plug I, said slides having inner in"-' clined faces [5 the inclinations of which" are sub stantially the .same as the inclinations of .the

faces 5 of theplug with which said inner faces of the slides contact. At theupperend of each of the. slides 14 a rigid guiding elementflfi is formed on said slide, said guiding element" extending downwardly from the top face'ofthe slide a short M in a contracted condition at the lower end of the plug l. The upper end of the stem II is then subjected to blows to drive the plug l downwardly relative to the slides, the inclined faces 5 of said plug moving downwardly against the inclined inner faces of the slides to spread said slides and force them outwardly against the wall of the hole of the structure being broken to a suflicient degree to crack and'break'the structure being acted upon. The blowsagainst the upper 'end of the stem i I may be delivered by a sledge or other suitable hand-operated tool, or, if desired, a pneumatic hammer may be employed to deliver said blows, the upper end portion of said distance as shown to the best advantage in'Figs.

,1 and 3. The guiding elements I6 of the slides H are of substantially "T'-shap'ed formation in cross-section as shown in'Fig; 5., and said guiding elements extend into the opposedcavities of the plug 1 with the outwardly projected ribs 16 of said guiding elements .lli extendingbehind the ribs 8 of said cavities when the-guiding elements of the slides are located in the portions of the cavities which are rendered fr shaped in crossv section by said ribs 8. Also each of the slides has formed onthe inner.inclined-facethereof a web llwhich isof less height thanthe associated guiding element and extends downwardly from the lower end ofasaid guiding element a substantial distance, said webs l! of the slidesbeingextended into the spaces between the inner edge .faces'of the associated .ribs 8 of the plug I as shown to the best advantage in .Fig. 6.

From the foregoing it is "obvious that theslides I M are guided for movement withrespect to the plug 1 with the inclined faces 15 of said slides in sliding contact withtheinclined faces 5 of the plug, and because .of the interengaging relation of the ribs l-6 "of the guiding elements of relative to the plug and thus prevent such detach- "ment of the slides-from the plug. Furthermore,

whenitt :is desired rto'remove the. slides H from the plugs'forrepair, replacement 'orfo'r any other reason, the slides may beznoved upwardl with respect tothe plugnntil the guiding elem'entsrof said slides clear the upper ends of the ribs 8 of the plug whereupon" the slides may be'moved outwardly from theplug to cause the guiding portion .of the slides to move through the lunrib'bed up- .per. portions of the" cavities l (see Fig. '2)

, When it is desired to break a boulder :of-rock or stone, a section of concrete, or other similar structure, a hole is drilled in the structure as shown in the drawing, where S designates the structure to be broken and H designates theho'le stem being of such shape and dimensions that the chuck of the pneumatic hammer will rotate with respect to said upper end of the stem without imparting rotary movement thereto.

If, for anyreason, the device should become jammed in a portion of the hole of a structure which has been broken with the aid of theclevice, the flange 4 of the plug 1 may be employed as aid in extracting the device. 'This maybe accomplished by engaging the lower face of "the flange 4 with the end portion of a crowban under which a rock orother article is arranged to provide a fulcrum, and employing the crowbar as a lever toforce the device upwardly out of the hole.

An important feature of the invention resides inthe fact that the stem II' is detachablefrom the plug l of the device, byunscrewing' same from the cavity3, and hence maybe removed for 'repair or replacement when his bent, broken, or battered because of blows directed thereagainst during use of the device. Also the screwthreads 'of the stem are preferably left-hand threads so that the rotatingchuck of a pneumatic hammer employed to operate the device A will not tend to unscrew said stem from the'cavity 3. Iclaimt. 1 I

' 1. A breaking device comprising aplug provided with opposed wedge faces, elongated cavities formed in said plug at the Wedge faces thereof and provided each with'opposed webs extending from opposed walls thereof, a pair of slides dis.-

posedat opposite sides of said plug and arranged 1 for sliding movement relative to said'plug, said .slidesbeing provided" with inclined faces which contact with the wedgefaces of said plug for relative sliding movement between said Wedge faces and said inclined faces, guiding elements extended from said slides into said cavities of the plug and .having webs which" project behind thewebs .off saidlcavities for guiding therelative movement of said plug and slides and maintaining said slides in sliding engagement with said plug, and guiding webs formed on said slides and extended from said guiding'elements longitudinally of said slides and adapted to move between movement of the slides and plug.

2. A breaking device comprising a plug prothe webs of said cavities of the plug on relative 'vided with opposed wedge faces, elongated cavities formed in said plug of and provided each with opposed .webs'extendat the wedge'face's thereing from opposed walls thereof, a pair .of slides disposed at oppositesides of said plug-and arranged for.sliding movement relative to said plug,

'Ysaid'slides being provided with inclined faces which contact with the wedge faces of said plug for relative slidingmovement between said wedge faces and "said inclined faces, guiding elements extended from said slides into said cavities of the plug and having webs which project behind the webs of said cavities for guiding the relative movement of said plug and slides and maintainme said slides in sliding engagement with said plug, and guiding webs formed on said slides and extended from said guiding elements longitudinally of said slides and adapted to move between the webs of said cavities of the plug on relative movement of the slides and plug, said webs of the elongated cavities of the plug terminating at their upper ends at points spaced downwardly from the upper ends of said cavities to provide upper unwebbed cavity portions through which the guiding elements of the slides may be passed to disconnect the slides from the plug.

3. A breaking device comprising a plug provided with opposed wedge faces, elongated cavities formed in said plug at the wedge faces thereof and provided each with opposed webs extend ing from opposed walls thereof, a pair of slides disposed at opposite sides of said plug and arranged for sliding movement relative to said plug, said slides being provided with inclined faces which contact with the wedge faces of said plug for relative sliding movement between said wedge faces and said inclined faces, guiding elements extended from said slides into said cavities of the plug and having webs which project behind the webs of said cavities for guiding the relative movement of said plug and slides and maintaining said slides in sliding engagement with said plug, guiding webs formed on said slides and extended from said guiding elements longitudinally of said slides and adapted to move between the webs of said cavitiesof the plug on relative movement of the slides and plug, said webs of the elongated cavities of the plug terminating at their upper ends at points spaced downwardly from the upper ends of said cavities to provide r upper unwebbed cavity portions through which the guiding elements of the slides may be passed. to disconnect the slides from the plug, and abuting from opposed walls thereof, a pair of slides disposed at opposite sides of said plug and arranged for sliding movement relative to said plug, said slides being provided with inclined faces which contact with the wedge faces of said plug for relative sliding movement between said wedge faces and said inclined faces, guiding elements extended from said slides into said cavities of the plug and having webs which project behind the webs of said cavities for guiding the relative movement of said plug and slides and maintainin said slides in sliding engagement with said plug, and an extension formed at the upper portion of said plug which serves to aid in removing the device from a hole in which it may be disposed.

5. A breaking device comprising a plug provided withopposed wedge faces, elongated cavities formed in said plug at the Wedge faces thereof which are each undercut at their opposite sides so as to provide said cavitie with inner portions that are of greater width than the outer slotlike portions of the cavities which are open at the wedge faces of the plug, a pair of slides disposed at opposite sides of said plug and arranged for sliding movement relative to said plug, said slides being provided with inclined faces which contact with the wedge faces of said plug for relative sliding movement between said wedge faces and said inclined faces, guiding elements extended from said slides into said cavitie of the plug and having relatively wide inner portions which extend into the undercut inner portions of said cavities and slide longitudinally thereof, and narrower outer portions which are disposed in the outer slot-like portions of said cavities and slide longitudinally thereof for guiding the relative movement of said plug and slides and maintaining said slides in sliding engagement with said plug, the slot-like outer portions of said cavities terminating at their upper ends in openings which are of approximately the same width as the widest portions of the inner underout portions of the cavities and which are at least of slightly greater height than said guiding elements to allow for-passage of said guidingelements through said openings and thereby permit detachment of the slides from the plug, and means for limiting relative movement of the slides and the plug.

' JOSEPH F. MALONEY. 

